literal theonymy

Noun

literal theonymy (uncountable)

1. The naming of a person with a divine name, such as the use of Jesus as a given name in Mexico and Central America.
   • When H[ans] Meyersahm, in a dissertation of 1891, studied literal theonymy, the giving to humans of unadjusted divine names, he felt able to declare that the practice first emerged in the first century ad.2000, Robert Parker, “Theophoric Names and the History of Greek Religion”, in Simon Hornblower, Elaine Matthews, editors, Greek Personal Names: Their Value as Evidence (Proceedings of the British...
   • There are a few instances of mortals called Artemis or Hermes, but such literal theonymy is relatively rare, and mostly dates from the first century ad or later.2006, Emma Stafford, “Tibullus’ Nemesis: Divine Retribution and the Poet”, in Joan Booth, Robert Maltby, editors, What’s in a Name?: The Significance of Proper Names in Classical Latin Literature...